How Edmonton is Sharing Joy: Supporting Homelessness Solutions This Holiday Season

This holiday season, we invited Edmonton to “Share the Joy” -- the joy of a warm meal, the people we care about, and a better future. Despite difficult circumstances, our community is a joyful one – laughter, humour, and relationships are incredibly important to our day-to-day lives. 

A Community Member attends WinterFest 2025

But we never shy away from the challenges our community faces.

Homelessness and poverty are complex, life-altering experiences that require more than just temporary fixes—they require compassion, innovation, and consistency.

While the barriers are immense, so are the moments of joy and triumph, and your support has been integral to creating those moments—big and small, immediate and long-term.

Meeting Immediate Needs in Winter 

Our Emergency Response Fund (ERF) makes immediate, life-saving impacts. This fund ensures that during Edmonton’s bitterly cold winters, our community members have access to vital supplies like boots, gloves, hand warmers, and sweatpants. Every dollar donated—doubled this year by Chandos’ $10,000 matching campaign—goes directly toward providing these essential items. These aren’t just practical items; they represent care, dignity, and the understanding that everyone deserves safety and comfort. 

Innovative Programs That Create Lasting Change

But addressing immediate needs is only the beginning of the work you make possible. Your generosity also fuels our innovative programs that tackle the root causes of homelessness, as well as major barriers. Examples include programs like sakihta kikinaw (“House of Love”), which helps female-identifying individuals find stability through secure housing, and Inner-City Mail, which ensures access to vital documents and life-giving correspondence. These programs are designed not just to help people survive but to help them move forward, build stability, and break cycles of poverty. 

The Healing Power of Art: Fostering Dignity and Confidence

A photo of our arts space at our Stony Plain Road location

At the heart of our programs are the people we serve and the stories they share. Our Stony Plain Road location is a place where people can sit down and relax while they shelter from the elements. But a seemingly minor addition has created so much joy -- the art space. This holiday season, so many stories of joy and connection begin with this space, and with art in general.  

Art plays a powerful role in fostering dignity and confidence for our community members. One artist, encouraged by our team, turned her incredible creations into T-shirt designs and screen prints that are now showcased at Kingsway Mall. Others have found a platform to share their talent at artist markets, selling beadwork, dreamcatchers, and other creations. For many, creating and enjoying art is a source of healing. At Boyle, we have long recognized its importance, and we are always looking for innovative ways to incorporate it into programming.   

Morningstar: A Model for Permanent Supportive Housing

Our commitment to long-term transformation is evident at Morningstar, our 47-unit permanent supportive housing program. Here, residents find more than a roof over their heads—they find belonging. Supported by caseworkers, cultural programming, and a sense of community, Morningstar residents begin to thrive in ways that once felt out of reach. One staff member reflected, “If people feel safe and have a place to belong, that’s success.”  

Morningstar is a place where that sense of belonging is cultivated every day. You can read more about Morningstar in our latest Annual Report. 

Thank You for Being Part of This Journey

As we look back on this season, we are overwhelmed with gratitude. Our community’s support creates transformative change in the lives of Edmontonians facing incredible challenges. The joy we share is central to our mission of ending chronic homelessness in Edmonton.